Canada is home to millions of senior citizens and people with disabilities. Such individuals require specialized care and attention to ensure they live long and happy lives. While many such individuals are cared for by family members, others may require assistance from caregivers or home support workers.
Many people already work in such caregiver and home support workers roles in Canada, but the demand for such services is much higher than the supply of workers available. For this reason, the Canadian government has set up a special immigration program called the Home Support Worker Pilot Program (HSWP).
This program falls under the Home Care Provider Pilot categories introduced in 2019. It allows foreign workers to come to Canada and work as home support workers and then apply for permanent residence.
The Home Support Worker Pilot Program is open to foreign nationals with work experience under the NOC TEER Code 44101. This code covers workers such as:
- Family caregivers
- Housekeepers
- Home support workers
- Attendants that care for people with disabilities
- Live-in caregivers for seniors
- Personal care attendants
- Personal aides
Individuals who intend to apply under this program must meet the minimum Home Support Worker Pilot requirements. This includes:
- Completing one year of post-secondary education inside or outside Canada.
- Scoring CLB 5 or higher in an English language proficiency exam
- Possessing one year or more of work experience under NOC TEER Code 44101
- Having a valid job offer in Canada
Note that the job offer specified above must be from an employer that meets the following Home Support Worker Pilot employer requirements:
- The employer counts as a single Canadian employer
- The position is located outside of Quebec
- The position is for full-time employment, which amounts to a minimum of 30 hours of work per week
- The position is non-seasonal
- The job offer is valid at the time the candidate is offered their work permit
Home Support Worker Pilot Intake Cap (2,750 Applications)
- Gaining Experience Category: 1,650 applications
- This total includes both online and alternate-format applications
- Direct PR Category: 1,100 applications
- This total includes both online and alternate-format applications
The application process is summarized below:
- Obtain an Offer of Employment from an employer that qualifies under the HSWP
- Submit a completed work permit application under the HSWP
- Come to Canada under a work permit and work for the employer
- Apply for permanent residence once the applicant has gained one year of work experience (as of April 30, 2023) working for their employer in Canada
The Home Support Worker Pilot Program serves as an excellent immigration route for people with experience working as home support workers. If you intend to apply for this special immigration program, you can contact our experts here. Our skilled team of Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants is familiar with HSWP Canada and can help you optimize your application.